Justyce McAllister looks to the writings and examples of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to help him through the “incident”.  Justyce was arrested for a misunderstanding which involved Justyce stopping his very drunk ex-girlfriend from getting behind the wheel of her car.  The misunderstanding of this scenario: a young black male picking up his biracial drunken ex-girlfriend and putting her in the back seat of her car because she is too intoxicated to drive when a police officer arrives on the scene.  As Justyce is buckling Melo in the back seat, he is pulled from the car, slammed against the trunk, and handcuffed without a chance to explain himself to the officer.  This treatment and the national news of another police shooting of an unarmed young black male, leave Justyce thinking, “It could have been me!” Justyce searches for answers in Dr. King’s words and deeds.  Will this be enough to help Justyce survive his senior year?

Starr Carter and her friend Kahlil leave a neighborhood party when things start to get out of hand.  Not far from the party, the two are pulled over by a white police officer.  While being questioned by the officer, Kahlil leans in the car to check on Starr.  The officer believing that Kahlil has a weapon shoots and kills the unarmed Kahlil in front of Starr. After the shock of the incident starts to dissipate, Starr finds herself facing decisions of whether to keep quiet to protect herself and her family or to speak up to honor Kahlil.

Finley McManus is a quiet Irish American who escapes his dismal environment of Bellmont by focussing on his love of basketball and his basketball-playing girlfriend, Erin.  The only white player on his high school varsity basketball team, Finley works with determination during the off-season to be in the best condition for the team.  Finley lives with his dad and grandfather, and assists with his disabled grandfather’s care when his father works the night shift. Finley and Erin’s plan to work hard to get scholarships to get out of Bellmont away from the Irish mob and the other negative aspects of their hometown seems to be on track until Coach asks Finley to befriend Russ Allen and keep his secret.  Russ Allen, the former high school basketball phenom from California, refers to himself as Boy 21.  Russ believes he is an alien and not long for this world.  Coach has instructed Finley to get Boy 21 ready for the upcoming basketball season, but the problem is Boy 21 plays the same position as Finley.